Dad’s eyes gleamed. “It worked on you.”
“Yeah, and you ticked me off. Also, it was a pool and my feet were touching the bottom. I could’ve swum past you if I really wanted to.”
“Then why didn’t you?” Dad asked, getting an attitude. He looked at me, lips pursed. “Some of these hard-as-potatoes women just need to be softened up in a body of water and forced to face their feelings.”
“Did you seriously just compare me to a boiled potato? Mkay, Mr. Collins.” Mom fought back a smile. “You know, not everything is about you, Ford.”
“Sure it is.” He grinned. “I brought that right back around to me. And hey.” He clicked his tongue. “It worked on you.” He spread his arms wide. “And look at your life now because I made you play a little game of Truth or Dare.”
“You are too much sometimes.” Mom picked up a kitchen towel and whipped it at him. But Dad caught it and gave it a yank, pulling Mom off balance. She shrieked as she fell into his lap.
He wrapped his arms around her and tapped her nose with his. “Take that back.” He looked at her with what I knew full well were his bedroom eyes. “I’m the perfect amount of much. Tell the truth.”
“Fine.” She melted against him, her fingers sifting through his hair. “You’re the perfect amount of much.”
He pulled her in for a kiss.
“Okay,” I said. “I’m heading to bed. Say a prayer for me, would you? I’m going to need it.”
Mom snorted. “You’re gonna need a lot more than prayers if you follow through on this plan.”
“Maybe hide the other oars,” Dad said. “So she doesn’t take a swing at your head.” Then he went right back to kissing Mom.
By the time Charlie got home, I was in bed, trying—and failing—to fall asleep. I couldn’t stop thinking about her songs and what this all meant. And I couldn’t stop worrying about what I would do if even after knowing what I now knew, she still chose not to let me in.
When my alarm went off, I was beat, but excited. I got up and got to work, a man on a mission. I got the boat ready—cleaning off the cobwebs with a towel. Then I headed to the studio to get started early so I could get done early.
I avoided Charlie all day. I wanted to hear about the delivery but I wanted to get this right even more. I knew if I ran into her, I wouldn’t be able to keep any of it off my face for very long. So it was better to avoid her altogether.
That night, I caught her, coming down the stairs, eyes bright, wearing shorts and tennis shoes, like she was heading out.
twenty-six
Charlie
“Hey,” I said way too happily for being just friends. I stood on the first step, putting Cash and me at eye level. It was the first time I’d seen him since I got home from the hospital. “Where have you been all day?”
He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Just trying to get the album finished.”
I reached up and smoothed a couple of rogue curls back down. “Well, I’m glad you’re home now.” I bounced on my toes. “Did you hear?”
“That you were awarded an honorary OB-GYN license?” he chuckled. “Yeah, I heard.” His words were normal but he seemed nervous. He wasn’t looking at me. In fact, he was looking anywhere but at me.
“It was the craziest, coolest thing I’ve ever experienced.” He was still avoiding my gaze. Did I have something between my teeth? I ran my tongue over them. I bounced on my toes. “Wait till you see the baby. She’s so cute.”
“Yeah. I saw a picture. She looks like you.” He put his foot on the bottom step next to me. Finally, those bleached blue eyes met mine, and my heart did this silly, fluttery thing. “Hey,” he said quietly. “I wanted to see if you’d come out on the lake with me. Right now.”
“Oh.” I didn’t want to disappoint him, but… “I was headed to my parents’ to help Jane put up a welcome home sign for Mom and the baby.”
His face dropped a disproportionate amount for the lightness of our conversation.
“But you should come with me.” I grazed a finger over his forearm. “We could use some height and muscle.”
Still, no excitement. He had his heart set on the lake for some reason.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out.
Theo
